Reducing Teenage Parents' Stress

Baby FAST is a program for teenage parents designed to help the young parent cope with her/his new responsibility. It is often used to supplement home visitations for isolated and at risk families. Weekly meetings take place for 10 weeks and include the teen parents support person (often the mother), and the father. The program focuses on building social support for teen parents, improving the relationships between the young parents and the support person, and reducing the stress experienced by the young parent which is known to contribute to child abuse and neglect. Parents learn to share problem solving and baby care habits and techniques, establish roles and family management rules, find help for specific needs, and connect with parents, schools, and community services. FAST is implemented by a team that includes a health nurse, an occupational therapist or baby massage therapist, mental health specialist, young mother and young father leaders, mother or father of a teenage parent, and a father specialist. Activities include scenario building, intergeneration resolution sharing, baby massage instructions, floor play, dialogic reading, and father coaching and interaction. Teenage mothers are asked to complete pre- and post surveys. A total of 263 mothers (12-19 years old) have participated in the program and completed evaluations. Evaluations indicated significant improvements in family relationships, including improved cohesion and reduced conflict. Teen mothers also reported a significant reduction in parental distress and total stress experienced, an increase in social support (tangible, affectionate and emotional) and an improved relationship with the baby.